Auctions made easy

2007-10-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

Defining Characteristics of the eBay Power Seller

Receiving recognition as a Power Seller is quite an accomplishment. There are several criteria that a seller needs to meet before receiving the honor of becoming a Power Seller.

One of the criteria of becoming a Power Seller on eBay is that these sellers are ones who have maintained at least a 98% feedback score on eBay. Additionally, these are sellers who have consistently sold a specific volume of items on a regular basis.

Additional criteria for becoming a Power Seller are that a seller must have been an active eBay member for at least 90 days and they must have averaged a minimum of $1000 worth of sales for three months in a row. Additionally, they must have averaged at any given time at least 100 feedback points, and their eBay account must be in good financial standing.

Those who are interested in becoming a Power Seller can do so for free, and anyone who buys from a Power Seller will know. This is because everyone who qualifies as a Power Seller will have an icon next to his or her eBay username that has an appearance of a small ribbon given out to those who offer the highest level of customer satisfaction.

Benefits given to those who become Power Seller are greater than for the average individual eBay seller as well. For instance, sellers who are recognized, as ones who are Power Sellers, will receive priority phone and customer service support (in many cases, depending upon sales volume). They also receive a Certificate of Achievement along with advanced selling tips from Meg Whitman, who is one of the eBay experts.

Power sellers are also introduced to special offers that are not made known to the general eBay selling and buying population. Furthermore, they are also invited to participate in a special Power Seller discussion board.

Power Seller status is reviewed once a month. In order for sellers to maintain receiving this particular recognition they must do a variety of things. For example, they must follow through on practicing eBay values, such as that of being an honest vendor, showing respect, and responding in a timely manner when necessary.

Additional criteria for maintaining Power seller status include the following: continuing to make sales of at least $1,000 a month, continuing to uphold a 98% feedback rating, still having an eBay account in good standing, and managing a minimum of four monthly listings for three months. Additionally, Power Sellers must continue to abide by all the rules and regulations pertaining to item listing.

The Power Seller level described in this particular article is that of the Bronze Power Seller. Additional levels of Power Seller recognition are also given to the sellers who achieve the appropriate volume of sales. For example, the Silver Power Seller must achieve a monthly sales volume of $3,000, and the Gold Power Seller must reach $10,000 in sales. The Platinum Power Seller must reach $25,000 and the Titanium must reach $100,000.00 worth of sales.

All the criteria need to be met in order to maintain any one of the mentioned levels of Power Seller statuses. The most important of all the criteria that need to be met is most likely that of adhering to all of eBay’s rules. Not only could those who do not follow all of eBay’s selling rules lose t heir Power Seller status but they could also lose eBay selling and buying privileges.

Achieving Power Seller status is meant to be a great honor. Therefore, those who are able to achieve this honor need to do their best not to take it for granted and to try their hardest to do what it takes to uphold this honor. Honesty, integrity, customer satisfaction hard work is what most is usually valued on eBay sites, and what will reap sellers the most rewards.

2007-05-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

Deciphering the Four Kinds of eBay Auctions

There are four main types of auctions offered by eBay. While traditional auctions are the most popular of the four, there may be times where one of the other three options may be a better match for your needs. To determine which auction will work best for you, it is important to understand the basics of all four auction types.

The most widely used auction is referred to as the traditional auction. This auction requires that the seller set a starting price and then potential buyers place their bids. The bids increase in increments of at least ten cents. A traditional auction can run for one, three, five, seven, or ten days. When the auction is closed, the highest bidder will have secured the purchase.

The second type of eBay auction is a reserved price auction. This method is very similar to the traditional auction except the seller will set an undisclosed price, below which they will not sell the item. This option provides the seller with a safety net for their product. If at the end of the auction no one has bid up to your reserve price, you are not obligated to sell and the highest bidder does not have to make the purchase.

While reserve price auctions greatly benefit the seller, they often make potential buyers nervous. This is because the buyer does not know what the reserve price is. This may lead them to feel like they are playing a guessing game and may be more reserved in their bidding. Buyers will often seek out other listings of similar products without a reserve price. In addition, eBay does charge a minimal fee for adding a reserve price to your auction.

The third eBay auction type is the Dutch, or multiple item auctions. This auction is used to sell multiple units of the same item. The items can be sold to a single bidder or multiple people. This type is popular with the buying and selling of collectibles. It allows sellers to list as many items as they want in one listing. Buyers specify how many items they are bidding on and the per unit price they are willing to pay. Then the group of bidders that win the auction will pay the lowest winning price.

If you do not have enough products to cover all of the bids then purchasers will be eliminated starting with the lowest bidder. Amongst the lowest bidders are the ones who placed their bids most recently will be knocked off first.

The last type of eBay auction is called the “buy it now” auction. This fixed price option allows sellers to set a price will end the auction. The seller determines a price that will stop the bidding. If a buyer chooses to make the purchase at that price, they do not have to wait for the auction to end, or watch other bidders. They simply click the buy it now button, make the payment and the item will be shipped. This type of auction can be used for Dutch auctions as well.

This option eliminates the normal pressures that are associated with other auctions. Buyers do not have to compete with other members or dedicate a lot of time to the auction It also allows sellers to sell faster and ship sooner, while helping eBay to clear their inventory faster.

Deciphering the differences between the four main types of eBay auctions will help you better determine which one is right for you. Experts suggest that beginners start off with the traditional auction and then move on to another type once they have more experience.

Don Guindon

2007-03-28T21:22:00.000-07:00

eBay Has Limits – What Things You Will NOT Find to Buy

At eBay’s foundation it was virtually unregulated. Traders could buy and sell practically any product they desired. However, as eBay became more popular, it found it necessary to prohibit or restrict the sale of certain products in its online auctions. Some restrictions apply to all eBay members; while others are regionally mandated, and others are allowed the sale of an item only in special areas of the site.

eBay has classified its restricted items into three categories. Prohibited items cannot be listed on eBay under any circumstances. Questionable items can be listed under certain conditions. Potentially infringing items are not allowed to avoid the violation of copyright or trademark laws.

There are several examples of items that fall under the prohibited category. eBay prohibits the sale of alcohol since they cannot regulate age restrictions. Both prescription and recreational drugs are banned from eBay. In addition, eBay prohibits the listing of any firearms, knives, ammunition, or explosives. Human parts and remains are also strictly forbidden from being listed.

Other examples of items that eBay prohibits are animal and wildlife products, counterfeit items, credit card, fireworks, corrosives, military or police property, stamps, foreign currency, identification cards, lottery tickets, lock picking devices, pesticides, plants, seeds, recalled items, slot machines, stocks, stolen products and tobacco.

Items that eBay considers questionable include autographed items, batteries, food, tickets, contracts, used clothing and medical devices. eBay has unique listing conditions for these items and warns buyers to be particularly cautious when purchasing an item from this list.

eBay bans the sale of items that are potentially infringing. These items include academic software, bootleg recordings, games software, brand misuse, beta software, authenticity disclaimers, keyword spamming, mod chips, faces names and signatures, promotional items and anything that has been reproduced without the appropriate authorization.

Recently eBay has come under criticism for not enforcing their policies on what you can and cannot sell fairly amongst all eBay members. Critics have claimed that they enforce the regulations surrounding pirated items more strictly. The claim is that eBay caters to the copyright concerns of big business but overlooks items that may actually be more dangerous. While the enforcement of its policies may be random at times, eBay stands by it policies.

It is also important to mention that eBay enforces the same policies even if sellers are offering the items for free. You do not have to receive money for a prohibited or restricted item to be considered liable.

eBay not only regulates the items that can be bought in its online marketplace, but has rules concerning how information is displayed as well. It specifically prohibits the use of profanity and vulgar language, including remarks that are racist, hateful, sexist, or obscene. eBay also prohibits members to make threats to other members via email, telephone, or public message boards. It attempts to assure that all members follow these rules, so that eBay can remain an online marketplace that people feel comfortable being a part of.

Before listing you product for sale on eBay, you should check to make sure that it does not fall under any prohibited categories. Also keep in mind that eBay reserves the right to modify or update their list of prohibited and restricted items at any time.

eBay may take action against its members who break the rules concerning prohibited and restricted items. These members will have their auctions cancelled early and may face an account suspension. If your listing is cancelled early because you were in violation of their policy eBay will notify you and all bidders or the reasons behind the cancellation.

Til next time ...

Don Guindon

2007-03-22T03:24:00.000-07:00

Defining Shill Bidding on eBay and Why It’s Wrong

eBay is an online auction site that allows individuals to both purchase and offer different items for sale within the auction format. However, as with almost all activities concerning money and goods, there are some people that try to exploit the system. Shill bidding is one way in which individuals attempt to cheat the system. Over the course of its existence, there have been many people that have either been users and proponents of shill bidding or who have been victims of the unfair practice. In general, shill bidding is the exploitation of bidding within the online world in order to increase the income an individual will receive for the sale of an item or good.

On the eBay auction website, there are different products that an individual can purchase. Some of these items are new, and others are used. However, the point of the auctions is to provide the consumer with a good at a discounted price while enabling the seller to make some sort of income, either surplus or enough to break even. These are the goals of the auction site. Obviously, this cannot be performed to the satisfaction of everyone involved one hundred percent of the time. There are instances in which an individual purchases the wrong item by mistake, or purchases a used item that they thought was new. Some instances of problems also would include a seller not making enough money to cover the cost of the sold item, or a seller being stiffed by the winning bidder. However, instead of using legitimate and successful ways to solve these problems, some people have resorted to less admirable and moral means.

When individuals perform shill bidding on eBay, they are bidding on their own item in order to inflate the price that they are owed in the sale of the item. If there is interest in a particular item, the seller may create a separate account or they may use a separate account that they already have created in order to get into a bidding war with the individual or individuals that are legitimately interested in the item. In the end, if the seller’s alter-ego wins the bid, there is not any damage to them since they will not have to actually ship out the item. Instead, they can offer the losing bidder a second chance offer. This occurs when the seller sends a message to the other bidder or bidders in which the item is offered to them for the highest price that they bid during the auction. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons for second chance offers to be given to other bidders, but other times this process, too, is exploited by greedy individuals. If this is the case, then the bidder may end up paying much more than they would have originally paid for the item if the seller did not try to inflate the price.

Officially, eBay’s stance on shill bidding is that it is reprehensible and will not be tolerated within the online community. However, as with most scams, it can be difficult to enforce this all of the time. There have been some high profile instances where individuals were exposed to have taken part in this behavior. It can be prosecuted in a court of law, since shill bidding is illegal in most areas in the United States and in some areas worldwide. It is important that individuals make themselves educated and aware about shill bidding in order to make sure that they stay within the confines of the law as well as to be able to avoid scams on eBay. On the whole, eBay is a great and functional site, and it is important not to let the minority ruin the good times for those who stay within the limits of jurisdictional and moral allowances.

Happy ebaying folks!

Don Guindon

2007-03-16T14:43:00.000-07:00

Are You Happy In Your Business?

If you are working from home, it's sometimes hard to approach your business as...well....a business. After all, when your daily commute is simply walking across the room it's hard to change your mindset from "home" to "office" so quickly and in your home surroundings.

To be successful working from home, though, you must have an "office" mindset that takes you from personal to business activities effectively. A great way to do this is to find a resource that reminds you of the importance of a business approach and that contains the information you need to make your business more successful than ever.

Where can you find a resource that can do all of this? Introducing Ebay Profits 2007, an amazing,
comprehensive book that shows you exactly how to build and operate your Ebay selling business right from your own home.

Of course, being your own boss means putting in the time and effort to be successful, so don't expect Ebay Profits 2007 to be a get rich quick scheme. You'll have to do your part, too.

But no other book has the potential to help you expand your business so smartly and generate huge profits so quickly. Ebay Profits 2007 is specially designed to cover everything you need to know about becoming an insanely successful Ebay seller.

You'll get much more than the basic "how to" information, though. Ebay Profits 2007 is packed with proven strategies and insider secrets that will help you rise to the highest levels of success you want.

If you care about your home business and making a good income, you need Ebay Profits 2007. Just click below to learn the insider secrets that can literally change your life:

If reselling this great package interests you please click here: Resell Ebay Profits 2007. The first 20 people who purchase this resell package will receive the renowned "Meeting of the Masters DVD" Absolutely free. It's a movie length DVD capturing 13 of the internet's best marketers caught in one room together. They were asked: "With $500, can you make 30 grand in one months time" The answer is yes, so you can find out how they did it!

Grab it while you can, it's a limited time offer or whoever grabs them first.

That's all for today :)

Don Guindon

2007-03-14T22:37:00.000-07:00

Don’t Hook those eBay Phish!

Phishing is an illegal activity that pulls a person from a legitimate eBay site to one that is involved in scamming people for money. Phishing is also often referred to as spoofing, or sending spoof e-mails.

This happens quite often and honest buyers and sellers need to be aware of this practice-and to know how to avoid being hooked by it, or hooking someone else in this way. There are ways to be sure not to be tricked by one of these evil schemes.

eBay phishers will present themselves as an authentic-looking eBay site, and will even send e-mails to members that look as though they are legitimate. However, many of these supposedly legitimate-looking e-mails are really fake.

There are warning signs you need to be aware of to be able to spot e-mails that are being sent to you as ones that are fake or spoofs. For example, phishers will often send generic notices with a greeting such as “Attention eBay Member” or similar phrase.

Usually the spoof e-mails mentioned in the previous paragraph will contain threats of eBay account suspension, invitations to become a Power Seller, and so forth. These actions in themselves could happen, but spoofers send these during times when these events or situations could not possibly take place. Furthermore, spoofing (phishing) emails also usually require a person to take immediate action, and to offer personal information such as a social security number, eBay password, and so on.

A similar phishing experience that has affected some eBay members in the past that you need to be aware about is that regarding PayPal. Numerous attempts have been made by people sending out fake e-mails that look authentic and even have PayPal addresses in the “From” line. The object usually is to get you to surrender to them your PayPal password so they can use it to steal the funds out of your PayPal account.

You know a little about what a fake e-mail would contain if it were sent to you by a phisher. However, you may also want to know what an eBay e-mail or a PayPal e-mail will or will not contain. For example, authentic e-mails from eBay or PayPal usually do not have any files attached to them, nor do they ask for passwords or other personal information (i.e. credit card numbers or SSN).

In order to further protect yourself, you may want to copy and paste any links that you get in an e-mail into your web browser. This will help ensure that you are going to the right site page. However, you also may need to take other action to be able to recognize a true eBay site from a false one.

One way to know if you are visiting a genuine eBay site is to take a look at the URL of the page that a link leads you to after you click it or paste it into your Web browser. If you notice that the link contains no other characters before the first forward slash of the eBay URL it is most likely genuine. It will also not contain any additional characters after the forward slash of a particular page, other than that which usually would name a specific eBay page.

If you have any doubt at all regarding a particular eBay e-mail and whether or not it is really eBay you can also report it and check out the situation. For example, if you notice that you have receive an e-mail saying that your eBay account is in danger of suspension you may consider not responding to that e-mail, and typing in the URL of the eBay home page and then signing in to your account. Usually you will have received a notice in your eBay e-mail message system.

If you see that your account appears to be okay, you should be able to still buy, sell, and make bids. If you can do one or more of these things then you know that your eBay account has not been suspended. Therefore, be careful, and report any suspicious e-mails to the proper authorities, such as to eBay or PayPal sites. Authorities from either one of these sites will look further into the situation.

Don Guindon

2007-03-09T21:37:00.000-08:00

Scam Artists are Alive and Well on eBay – How to Avoid Them

As with virtually any venture, there are always people out and about trying to exploit and take advantage of honest, hard workers that are using legitimate means to make income or otherwise improve the quality of their lives. The eBay company was established in the 1990’s and is an online auction website that is used by individuals in order to sell and purchase different new and used items for the personalize use of the individual. However, there are certain scam artists that are trying to, and who have been able to, use the system to their own benefit. Still, there are ways in which an individual can avoid being taken advantage of by the scam artists which may be using eBay in order to meet their own malicious needs involving money or reputable goods that the individual wants.

It is very important that individuals not take part in Buy It Now purchases through individual emails. Because the process takes place outside of the eBay community, if a person does not receive their item, there is no way to leave negative feedback about the experience. As a result, other consumers are not warned and an individual can be taken advantage of if they do take part in this procedure with a less than reputable partner. Also advisable to consumers is that they not use Western Union or other wire money transfers. Western Union expresses themselves as a third party in the proceedings, and therefore they assume no liability for any fraud that may come as a result.

Additionally, using Western Union or another wiring service can be expensive as compared to other payment methods that are available to the individual. eBay also has an approved escrow service to use in order to make sure that the trading partner or seller is legitimate. The online auction site eBay also encourages individuals who are involved in a transaction in which the individual insists that the potential consumer use a specific escrow service to do a check decline the purchase with that individual and report that seller to eBay to investigate. This is because there are many fake escrow services out there, which will not give the individual a truly accurate portrayal of the seller.

There are sometimes emails sent that say they are from eBay, but these are emails that are actually from scam artists who are trying to get your billing or bank account information in order to use the funds in the bank account belonging to the unsuspecting recipient. It is important to go to eBay.com and investigate the likelihood of the email being legitimate. If it is, there will be corresponding information on the eBay home page. An individual can also contact eBay and forward the email to them in order to assert the validity of the email. Do not give out personal bank information, eBay will not ask for this information. Some emails also claim to sell auction items at incredibly low prices, and it is important not to fall for this scam, whose purpose is to lure individuals into sending money outside of the eBay community.

It can also be beneficial to be wary of short 24 or 48-hour auctions for expensive items. This is because certain scam artists hijack other users’ accounts and use them in order to exploit money from unsuspecting consumers with no penalty to deal with on their own accounts and personas after the fact.

While the FBI has noted that 62% of all Internet crimes are made up from false and fraudulent online auction scams, there are many legitimate individuals that are involved in the online auction scene. Individuals simply need to be aware of popular scams and how to stay away from them. They are not impossible to avoid, it simply necessitates that the consumer be educated and responsible.

Don Guindon

2007-03-07T21:51:00.000-08:00

Avoid your Closest eBay Competitor – Yourself!

Sometimes the biggest eBay competitor is yourself. This is because eBay is an already crowded market and listing too many items at the same time can flood it. Like other markets, eBay thrives on the forces of supply and demand, if you try to auction several of the same items simultaneously, the result will be a surplus causing prices to decrease and bidding to slow down.

Though eBay follows the traditional rules of supply and demand, it does not have the standard barriers that a keeps a customer from going elsewhere. Because eBay is an enormous market confined to one website that is accessible by everyone, buyers and sellers are all on a level playing field. This is because there are no logistic incentives such as going t a store that is close to you as opposed to one that is slightly farther a way but has better prices. Customers can view several auctions at the same time and generally do not possess the feelings of loyalty that often come with shopping in a traditional market.

Because of these unique characteristics, it is important to understand how to avoid being your own closest competitor. It is important to realize that selling multiple products at the same time may not be the most effective way to make the most money. Listing items in bulk almost always floods the market and drives prices down.

Many sellers assume that if they are making a profit by selling one item, they can double the profit by selling two. This misconception can lead eBay sellers to devise an ineffective selling strategy. Before listing multiple items it is important to consider the impact that will have on the market for that product and the resulting price.

One way to avoid competing with yourself is to time your listings in advance. Try to schedule your auctions when you feel there will be more buyers for your product. Listing several of the same products simultaneously is most effective if the market for the item is large, meaning there are many potential buyers.

As with most markets, eBay is predictably cyclical. This means that buying and selling large quantities of items usually happens in waves. If you do your research ahead of time and discover that the eBay market is saturated with similar items, chances are waiting would be to your advantage. Holding off until the volume of similar products decreases will help you get a higher price for your item.

Staggering your listings can also help insure that you won’t be your own biggest competitor. Do not plan all your auctions at the same time; instead, space your listings out with a few days between them. This will allow buyers who were interested in the last auction a second chance to bid.

It may also be helpful to list your item for a fixed price rather than auctioning it, especially if there is a limited market for that item. The auction method limits the amount of time potential buyers have to place bids. If the market for your product is small you might not get enough attention before the auction closes. Placing a fixed price ahead of time can help you avoid that drawback.

Because the eBay market is already overcrowded, it is important to do your research before listing your item. If the market is being over run by sellers offering the same product, it may be wise to hold off on your auction. Also, if you are selling multiple products, you may wan to consider listing them at different times to avoid flooding the market and driving prices down.

That's all for today.

Don Guindon

2007-03-06T05:35:00.000-08:00

Seven Smart Ways to Avoid Being Ripped Off on eBay

While eBay can be a safe and secure way to trade items be aware of signs that indicate the seller or item is not as it seems. Just like the traditional market, eBay has the potential of attracting shady sellers looking to make a quick buck at your expense. Here are seven savvy ways to avoid being ripped off on eBay.

First, you should be aware of an abnormally low “buy it now” prices. If the item is priced well below fair market price, there is probably a good reason for it. Investigate the quality of these items before making a bid to make sure it’s not a scam. While shopping on eBay can lead you to some great deals, if it seems a little too good to be true it probably is.

Also, avoid bidding on auctions that don’t exist in the traditional market. This includes software items that were never released or movies that are still in the theatre. If the item does not exist in the regular market, the seller probably does not possess it. If they do, it’s most likely a fraud or illegal, either way you should not bid on the item.

If the seller is requesting unusual or unorthodox payment methods, then that should be a red flag that this auction is not for you. Steer clear of eBay traders who require payment methods that are untraceable, such as wire transfers or ask for your bank account information. PayPal has become the standard method of making payments on eBay. Buyers should look for auctions that utilize PayPal or money orders as preferred methods of payments. Under no circumstance should a buyer give out personal account information. Furthermore, making all your payments electronically will increase the chances that you can get your money back if something goes wrong.

Another way to avoid being ripped off is to do all your transactions through eBay. Potential buyers should be cautious of auctions that contain the phrase “contact me before bidding”. These sellers try to convince buyers to purchase the item directly from them to avoid eBay fees. However, bypassing eBay means there will be no record of your transaction. This means the seller has nothing stopping them from taking your money and then disappearing.

Another red flag that should warn you not to bid on an item is contradictory information in the listing. Avoid auctions that describe on item one way and then when you click on the listing the detail describe something else. Pay special attention to size dimensions, model types, and years.

Another helpful tool to avoid being ripped off is to buy from reputable sellers and pay attention to a members feedback score before making a purchase. The higher the score the more positive feedback they have received. If the seller has a low score, they are probably not someone you should make a purchase from.

The seventh tip to avoid being ripped off when buying on eBay is to know the value of the item that you are purchasing. Do some research ahead of time so that you have a good idea what the item would cost if you brought it brand new, that way you know a good deal when you see it. There is no point paying more for an item on eBay than you would pay walking into any retail store

As you gain more experience buying and trading on eBay it will become easy to detect shady auctions and sellers. It is important to trust your instincts and never participate in auctions that you feel uncomfortable with. These tips will help make your eBay shopping experience safe and fun.

Done for today

Don Guindon

2007-03-04T06:35:00.000-08:00

Eight Red Flags that Should Tell You NOT to Bid

When deciding whether or not to make a purchase on eBay it is important to consider a sellers feedback, but that may not be the only factor to consider when deciding whether or not t bid. Experts have identified eight red flags that should be a sign that you should not place a bid.

First, you should be aware of an abnormally low buy it now prices. If the item is priced well below fair market price there is probably a good reason for it. While shopping on eBay can lead you to some great deal if it seems a little too good to be true it probably is.

Also, avoid bidding on auctions that don’t exist in the traditional market. This includes software items that were never released or movies that are still in the theatre. If the item does not exist in the regular market, the seller probably does not possess it. If they do it’s most likely a fraud or illegal, either way you should not bid on the item.

If the seller is requesting unusual or unorthodox payment methods that should be a red flag that this auction is not for you. Steer clear of eBay traders who require payment methods that are untraceable, such as wire transfers or ask for your bank account information. PayPal has become the standard method of making payments on eBay. Buyers should look for auctions that utilize PayPal or money orders as preferred methods of payments. And under no circumstance should a buyer give out personal account information.

Also, be on the look out for auctions that have outrageous shipping prices. Some unscrupulous sellers will list their item at a low starting price to entice buyers and then slam them with an astronomical shipping rate. Sellers often due this to avoid paying hefty eBay fees that are calculated as a percentage of the selling price, but do not take into account shipping prices.

Potential buyers should be cautious of auctions that contain the phrase “contact me before bidding”. These sellers try to convince buyers to purchase the item directly from them to avoid eBay fees. However, bypassing eBay means there will be no record of your transaction. Meaning the seller has nothing stopping them from taking your money and then disappearing.

Another red flag that should warn you not to bid on an item is contradictory information in the listing. Avoid auctions that describe on item one way and then when you click on the listing the detail describe something else. Pay special attentions to size dimensions, model types, and years.

Also, avoid bidding on auctions that describe the sale item as “almost the real thing”. Sellers often try to pawn off fakes or knock offs by using terms such as “compatible” or “like” in their descriptions. Also, be on the look out for sellers inserting the word “not” in the title. This is a sneaky way to sell low quality imitations to unsuspecting eBay traders.

You should also stay away from auctions that are selling untested items. Untested implies that the owner does not know whether or not the product is in working condition, but more often than not this means the item is not functional. Make sure you only place bids on items that the seller knows works.

After buying and selling on eBay for some time you will learn to identify these tell tale red flags and avoid those auctions all together. While eBay can be a safe and secure way to trade items be aware of signs that indicate the seller or item is not as it seems.

That's all for today :)

Don Guindon

2007-03-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

What You Should Do When You Don’t Get Paid by the Winning eBay Bidder

eBay is a great resource for those who know how to use it properly. However, sometimes a problem can arise when an auction is opened, bid on, and closed without the winning bidder actually giving the owed money to the seller. This can seem like a frightening prospect, but it is important that the seller not be disheartened or get to a point where they lose all hope when it comes to the auction process or the eBay online auction website. There are a number of different options that the individual has available to them when they do not receive the payment, which they are owed by the winning bidder on eBay. First, the seller needs to take responsibility on their part and do everything they can before involving any other parties to try to mediate or take action against the bidder.

While it can seem like a very overwhelming process, it is important not to let the situation become overwhelming. By staying level headed, an eBay seller can make the most of their situation by not allowing it to upset, frustrate or dishearten them. If the eBay seller gives in to these emotions, the winning bidder wins not just the auction, but also affecting the seller in a more severe way as well. First, the eBay seller needs to try to contact the winning bidder. They can send the winning bidder an invoice from the account menu page of the individual’s my eBay account screen.

In addition, if this has already been done and has no affect, the seller can also send an email notification with a message from the seller to the winning bidder. This is done by clicking on the menu for the winning bidder by clicking on their account name and selecting Contact eBay Member from the menus listed there. Sending a note can sometimes clear up a lot of confusion between the seller and the bidder. Invoices can inadvertently be ignored if the winning bidder is not expecting the invoice. It is important to remember that sometimes emergencies come up, and we must allow for this patiently. We would like the same treatment in return. This is a simple and considerate gesture in which the seller allows some time to pass in order to give the bidder the opportunity of coming up with the money that the seller is owed.

If the member has been contacted several times, through invoices and/or personalized notes, the seller now has the option of getting the system involved. The seller can send a note to eBay informing them of the situation. eBay should be told how many times the seller tried to contact the winning bidder and when. Specifics are important because they help to give an accurate timeline of the events, which helps eBay to produce a non-biased and informed decision. Typically, it is allowable to wait seven days from the close of the auction to receive payment.

There are also times, depending on what is specified within the auction, that checks will be mailed to the seller. It takes time for the postal service to get the check to the seller. This is an instance of the winning bidder not doing anything wrong, as long as the auction does not specify that they cannot pay by check, wherein the seller needs to be patient and await payment. Still, in this case, seven days should still be ample opportunity for receiving payment, even if the matter can be cleared up by communicative emails between the two separate parties. Penalties from eBay can range from no admonishment to suspension of account termination for the winning bidder who does not pay the seller.

Thanks, that's all for today.

Don Guindon

2007-02-18T09:27:00.000-08:00

Minimize the Risks when eBaying Internationally

Selling items to International eBay customers is often rewarding, but it can also be a challenge. The secret is to make sure that you direct your business to the right buyers.

Many buyers and sellers have managed to make sure that their international selling experiences are worthwhile. However, these buyers and sellers also are aware of the risks involved. One of those would be not knowing exactly which items are legal to sell overseas and not knowing how much it would cost to ship certain items overseas.

In order to find out which types of materials are legal to sell overseas, it will be important to do a little check to make sure. Local customs offices of airports may be one place to look, and there may be some information that you can read that is available on the eBay site. Another way to find out is to look up this information on international travel sites, which indicate what types of items are allowed to be carried on all types of worldwide travel.

One other way to manage risk when selling internationally is to make sure that you sell items that are definitely hot sellers. This will help increase the possibility that you will have serious bidders committing to purchasing and paying for the items that you sell.

There are other measures to take to make sure that the transactions between buyers and sellers go smoothly as well. For example, sellers can require payment of item before it is shipped, or they can have the buyer put the money in escrow. The process of escrow can be further explained.

The process of putting a payment for an item in escrow is that of entrusting that payment to a third party. This third party acts as an intermediary, which makes sure that both buyers and sellers deliver what they promise. There is more information that sellers may want to know about regarding the escrow process, which usually involves a series of steps (up to five).

There is a trust process used by escrow companies. The first step of the escrow process is for buyers and sellers to agree to terms of sale, and then the buyer submits a payment (the second step). After payment is submitted the seller ships merchandise and then the buyer inspects it, and decides whether or not to keep it. After that, the escrow service pays the seller.

The benefits of using an escrow service are as follows for seller: tracking of merchandise, delivery verification, and chance to inspect products. For the seller the benefits of escrow include confirmation of receipt of merchandise and buyer fund verification. Usually both the minds of buyers and sellers are eased when this process is used.

Another common way to assess risk when dealing with both international and local buyers is to make an assessment pertaining to the reputation of the buyer. For example, perhaps sellers only want customers to bid on items that have a positive feedback percentage or score. Sellers may also consider the length of time that someone has been involved in the practice of selling and buying on eBay, particularly if that eBay member is making an international service.

There are some sellers who have simply decided that the risk of selling and buying internationally is way too great. These are the sellers who usually decide to sell locally and who will not ship overseas because they will not want to risk the possibility of buyers canceling bids or not paying for items because they later realize that the cost of shipping will be higher than expected.

That's all for today!

Don Guindon

2006-10-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

How Long Should your eBay auction Operate?

When it comes to durations, you have a diverse range of choices: your auction can run for 10, 7, 5 or 3 days, or as well as only one day if you have a good enough feedback rating.

There's a reason why you get to choose your duration, and that's because different durations are good for different things. To decide how long you should list your items for, all you need to do is ask yourself a few questions.

1. Do you want to sell things quickly?

If you'd rather sell now than in a few days, even if it means losing a little of your profit, then go ahead and choose the shortest duration you can get. If you're the more patient type, however, you might as well sell slowly.

2. How much is your item worth?

Items with a higher price are worth re-listing every 3 days or so using Buy it Now. The fees aren't that big as a percentage of the item's cost, and you'll sell more when you're continually higher up in the search results.

3. Could your item assist from competitive bidding?

Not every item is going to make bidders get excited and try to outbid each other. If you have items that consistently attract more than five bidders, though, you should continually list then for as long as possible, to get the best price you can. People will be quite glad to follow your auction for days, bidding the price higher and higher as they go.

4. What did the seller getting the perfect price do?

Go back to that completed items display, and take a look at which durations the top seller uses the routinely. The chances are that what they're doing works.

5. Can you ship quickly?

You might seek that customers get frustrated if they have to wait for over a week for your auction to end, only to have to wait some more for the item to actually turn up. If you're running auctions with the longest duration, try to have the thing packed and ready to go for posting the day it ends.

6. Is there a rush on?

If it's the holiday period, or there's a sudden surge in demand for your particular item, then don't list items for as long as you would in many instances. It's in your concern to have a fast turnover, then you should be listing for the minimum of 24 hours.

7. How visible do you want to be?

You could have seen that many of the effects caused by varying item durations are essentially caused by the unique that, by default, eBay sorts search results so that items ending sooner appear first. Since it's the default, this is the view better part people use ? meaning that items ending sooner get viewed much more.

If you'd like a few more tips regarding increasing your auction's visibility on eBay, make sure to check out the next post. See you there!

2006-09-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

eBay Auction Pricing Strategies.

If your items aren't retailing, then you might have a inadequate pricing strategy. There as many pricing strategies in the world as there are buyers. If you look at two businesses selling the very same thing, often the only difference you'll be able to find between them is pricing.

The 'Few Dollars More' Method.

Here's something you might not have thought of. If you set your auction's initiate price to what you would all things considered charge for Buy it Now, while setting the Buy it Now price a few dollars above, you can construct a profit by setting off an tantalizing psychological impression in the purchaser's mind.

Here's what they'll think. They want the item, but why should they bother bidding for it? After all, they could use Buy it Now for just a few dollars more, and be sure of getting it! Doing things this way makes the value of the Buy it Now option extra clear to the purchaser, and makes them more willing to pay extra for the privilege.

The 'One Dollar Less' System.

This is easy, but requires you to keep an eagle eye on your contest. As soon as they start a Buy it Now auction for an item you stock, start an auction for one of those items yourself. Match the title closely, but price your item one dollar less than theirs. This will mean that your auctions will sit together in the search results, and who's going to see both and go for the one that's a dollar more costly?

The 'Gratis Shipping' System.

Buyers clearly hate paying for shipping. With Buy it Now, you might acquire it easier to materialize the shipping cost into the main price of the item, and then write 'no-cost shipping' in the auction's title. You'd be surprised how many buyers would be partial to pay one price including shipping for the auction, rather than of having shipping included on at the checkout. Again, this is psychological: they pay the very same at the end, but it doesn't feel like they've paid an unnecessary 'extra' cost for Internet shopping.

The 'Go for It' Strategy.

If you'd like a slightly more risky method, try this. List your item for the maximum duration (ten days), initiate the listing on a Thursday so it goes across a pair weekends and finishes on a Sunday. Set the starting price to the minimal (one cent).

What you're trying to do here is offer bidders as long as possible to discover your auction, so that they increase the cost themselves. Pay for a few upgrades like bold and reveal, to give them a helping hand. When properly done, you can structure a much larger profit than you would have with any Buy it Now price, especially with a avenue or high value item.

Since running your auction for longer means that more folks see it, you should all the while take the longest duration of ten days, right? Not forever. In the next post, we'll discuss in respect to how long your eBay auction should run for.

2006-08-28T10:28:00.000-07:00

Why Adding Pictures Increases eBay Bid Response.

Buyers really like pictures. The more pictures you have, the more they'll feel like buying their item from you, and not from your competitor. In fact, there are plenty of buyers who will literally leave your auction within 5 seconds of arriving if they don't find a picture there waiting for them.

A little extra work on photography can pay off massively, especially if you're working on slim profit margins. But why is it so effective?

It shows you're serious. Sellers who take the time to take good pictures and present them carefully are surely more likely to go to the trouble of providing good customer service, and buyers know this, at least on a subconscious level. If you can't even be bothered to take a photo and upload it to eBay, are you really going to pack their item properly? Are you going to post it on time?

It makes them trust you. Your buyers will feel more comfortable that you actually have the item if they can see that you have your own photo of it. It also reassures the buyers that your item isn't a beaten up and broken piece of rubbish.

It makes your auction stand out. When your picture is displayed on the search results screen, people can see your item right there instead of having to read your title. People prefer to work visually, and are more likely to pay attention to a result with a picture.

But if you want the benefits of the response pictures can bring, then what should you do? Here are a few simple tips to make your pictures better.

Bombard them with images. eBay might want you to pay for the privilege of adding more than one picture to an auction, but if you have your own web hosting then you can do it for free. Just take as many pictures as you want, upload them to your webspace, and then add them to the auction using HTML.

Take better pictures. Use an image-editing program to touch up your pictures. There are plenty of choices - Ifranview (www.ifranview.com) is good, and free. Adjust things like brightness and contrast to make sure that buyers get the best view of your items.

Improve picture quality. Get a good camera, and pay attention to technique and composition when you take the photos. Don't just throw them on your bed and take photos. If you're not sure of yourself when it comes to photography, an empty, lightly coloured table against a white or nearly-white wall is always a good place to put things when you take photos of them.

Another good way to get more people to respond to your auctions is to find the best price points, including starting prices, Buy it Now prices and shipping. The next post will give you a few pricing strategies.

2006-08-08T10:09:00.000-07:00

Is Your eBay Income Taxable?

The income you get from selling items on eBay is just like the income you get from any other business: it is taxable, at least in theory. In practice, many get away without declaring profits from their eBay sales just because they're hard for the government to track. If you want to be strictly within the law and legit, though, you should be paying tax.

Income is Income.

If you make money from it, then it's income, and if it's income, then it's taxable. There is a question of scale involved, though, where the more you've sold, the more important it is to declare your eBay income. If you don't, you risk getting yourself into all sorts of trouble.
There are some rules for deciding whether your income counts as taxable or not. If you depend on the income you get from eBay, spend a lot of time on it, or just act as if you are running a business, then you need to file a Schedule C tax form and pay tax as a business.

How Do I Work Out How Much to Pay?

The 'income' you make from eBay is how much profit you make. Remember that you can subtract absolutely all of your costs from this income, like this.
Sale price - cost of item - eBay fees - PayPal fees - cost of postage - cost of packing materials = income.

For example, let's say you sell CDs for $10 each, including shipping. You pay $5 for the CDs at wholesale. That's $10 - $5 (cost) - 25c (insertion fee) - 52c (final value fee) - 30c (PayPal fixed fee) - 29c (PayPal percentage fee) - 37c (stamp) - 50c (packaging) = $2.77 income.

For reference, eBay's final value fee on a $10 item is 5.25 percent, while PayPal's cut is 30c + 2.9 percent for most sellers. These numbers will vary depending on the value of what you sell and the kind of account you have.

When you work this out at the end of the year, you can calculate your overall price for all sales, and then work out how much of that you actually received, remembering to adjust for non-paying buyers. Then just subtract what you spent on shipping and packing. There's no real need to do tax calculations on a transaction-by-transaction basis, although it is advisable to keep a printed record of everything you buy and sell.

However, there could be a few advantages to paying tax on your eBay sales, you might be able to make it back through deducting tax on your business expenses. All of the costs in the sum above that aren't profit are business expenses and so tax-deductable. You may also be able to deduct the cost of any computer equipment you buy, as well as ink and paper for your printer. You could even try something a little unusual, like deducting the cost of renting your home office from yourself.

Whatever you do, though, don't just rely on the information in this email. If you want advice about tax issues, you should really go to an accountant.
Another way to make back the money you spend on tax, of course, is to simply make more profit on each item to begin with. Our next post will show you how to get more bidders with the power of pictures.

2006-08-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

Should You Run Auctions on Other Sites Besides eBay

eBay doesn't have very many competitors, and the ones that there are remain small by comparison and that's part of what makes eBay so powerful for niche items. If you're selling more common things, though, you might like to list auctions on other sites besides eBay, to increase your potential customer base and avoid some of the occupational hazards of relying on eBay for all your business. But which ones are worth bothering with?

Yahoo! Auctions.

Yahoo Auctions wins in one big way: selling there is free. There are no listing fees or final value fees. What's more, Yahoo is still one of the biggest sites around, and gets plenty of traffic to its auction site. The site benefits from Yahoo's experience in providing good, categorised searching, and the site is easy to use all round.

The rub, though, is that dodgy buyers and sellers are even more rampant on Yahoo than they are on eBay, and that's saying something. Sellers on Yahoo Auctions can expect to run into far more non-paying buyers than they would on eBay. Also, the site is plastered with text ads, which get in the way, and the design in general leaves a lot to be desired, but then, so does eBay's.

uBid.

uBid's model is to offer more security for less flexibility. They pre-screen everything: sellers must be registered businesses and buyers must pre-register a credit card. It takes some of the 'Wild West' feeling out of selling; but it also takes away most of the fun.

On eBay, you have complete control over what you're doing, while selling on uBid feels like you're just a faceless supplier for a big company. Searching for anything vaguely non-mainstream will come back with no results, to the point that it will quickly get frustrating for your buyers. If you're just selling common consumer goods for the money, though, then by all means do it at uBid.

Amazon Auctions.

Amazon Auctions is an underused auction site. The design is quite bad, and searches don't turn up many results. The payment system is the same one people use to buy things from Amazon itself, though, which seems more secure that PayPal.

You might be more interested in becoming an Amazon Marketplace seller, which means that you can list your items on their main pages for people to see when they click the 'Used & New from' link. This can be a good way to make a few sales, as you can simply keep your inventory updated at your Buy it Now prices and someone will occasionally buy something. You don't even have to write a description or upload any pictures. This is probably a better thing to be using than Amazon Auctions.

To sum up, registering your items at a few other auction sites could get you a few extra sales; but compared to eBay, they're all very unimpressive, and have nowhere near as many users.

If you're trying to think of ways to expand your business, then there might be a shock in store for you with what I'm going to tell you next. Did you know that your eBay income is taxable? But stay calm - the next post will explain everything.

2006-07-21T16:42:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody, I know this is unrelated to eBay...well, only if you want it to be (:

You are not going to believe this...but you need to! I just checked out Matt Callens incredible software called HyperVRE, and this could be the first time that I have used free software more than I do my other paid apps.

Just listen to this, upload your free software then upload your free templates, all right here -hypervre.com - use the keyword tool in the software, choose a template, insert content from free article sites, also find and generate RSS feeds and your adsense ads then click done and hypervre generates your website! All for free! I don't know about you, but I can't find an easier more cost effective way to produce a website and make money than this! If _I_ can do it, certainly, so can you!

While I could go on and on about the features and how they have benefited my business, I think you really need to see for yourself what this software really can do. For now - he is giving this software away for free, so there is no risk. But you need to hurry before there is a hefty one-time payment.

hypervre.com

2006-07-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

10 Tips for Being a Better Seller.

If you've got this far, you've got the basics of eBay. There are a few things left, though, that you might not have thought of trying. Quite a few of these tips go against the advice many give for eBay selling: some are a little risky and some are just odd. They're all worth a try, though, and I'm sure you'll find at least some you want to keep using.

1. Keep more records. It might sound time consuming, but you'll actually find it easier in the long run: less time spent trying to figure out which item that cheque you got this morning is for.

2. Post without payment. Don't even wait for payment to clear! That might sound risky, but it'll mean that the buyers get their items more quickly. For small items, you might find it worth the occasional loss to give such quick service.

3. Post every day. Once you start shifting a high volume of items, go and post them every day. Again, they'll get there more quickly, making your customers very happy. The best way to do this is if you have items small enough to drop in a postbox.

4. Encourage an auction mentality. Don't have a Buy it Now price, and make it very clear when it's the last or only stock you'll be getting in. Always refer to winning bidders as 'winners'.

5. Mention every defect your item has. Now why would you do that, you might ask? The answer is that it builds credibility: the small hit you take from the slight flaws is nothing compared to the big boost in trust you get for admitting it. People bid more when they trust the seller.

6. Say how you got the item. Don't be afraid to go off on a tangent and give all sorts of fun details of how you got hold of what you're selling, it gives your auction character and, again, builds trust.

7. Accept odd payment methods. Sooner or later you're going to get a buyer who wants to pay by sending cash in an envelope, or something equally unusual. Why not let them? Be flexible.

8. Don't be afraid to sell low. Let the occasional item go for a really low price to a good buyer. You might only just break even on the item, but the person who got that bargain will be back again and again.

9. Give free shipping for a certain number of orders, or orders over a certain amount. People might buy something else they don't want as much, just to get the free shipping. (Amazon use this strategy to great effect).

10. Ship worldwide. Take the time to investigate the prices, and be nice to international customers: imagine how much you're expanding your market. That's not to mention the effect of people bidding highly for items that are rare in their country.

Another way to make it easier is to be a better seller is to use some of the many third party eBay tools that are available. The next post we'll take a look at a selection of tools you might find useful.

Oh, I can't forget to show you this Free Video

2006-07-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

10 Sure-fire Ways to Kill Your eBay Business.

It's surprisingly easy to kill your eBay business, if you're not careful, sure, you can start over from scratch without it costing you anything, but do you really want to? Still, if you want your business to end up dead in the water, here are some simple ways to do it.

1.Lie about an item: Say it works fine when it sometimes doesn't work. Say it's in perfect condition when it has a scratch. Your customers will hate you!

2.Post whenever you feel like it: Make sure to leave your customers hanging around, wondering when their item is going to turn up. This makes sure they buy from someone else next time.

3.Let items end anytime: Few people will be around to care about your auction if it ends in the middle of the night. Why go to the trouble of working out whether auctions will end at a good time?
4.Don't bother with email: Customers are just timewasters anyway. eBay businesses are supposed to run themselves! Never give informed responses to questions about your item.

5.Sell rubbish: Really, it's just eBay. You can just sell any old tat from the market for a 200 percent profit. Let quality be someone else's concern I mean, really, what do they expect for that price?

6.Refuse to give discounts: You know what your items cost, you know what your profit margin is going to be, and you're not going to negotiate. Remember that giving customers special deals might make them feel good and come back to you again.

7.Make your listings ugly: As many colours, flashing lights and animations as possible will really give those customers a headache. Write as much in CAPITALS!!!! as you can. Preferably big, red capitals. Be sure to use the fonts Impact and Comic Sans. For an extra special touch, see if you can figure out a way to add some music.

8.Don't take photos: It's such trouble, after all. If buyers are picky enough to actually want to see items before they bid on them, then screw 'em, that's what I say.

9.Write short descriptions: Be as brief as possible, and use lots of mysterious abbreviations. This obviously makes you look very cool. You can even just write the title again in the description box. Think of the effort you'll save!

10.Use reserve auctions: Now, this is a fairly controversial final choice, but it really is one of the best ways to scare away your customers. They'll see 'reserve not yet met', and click that 'back' button before you know it. Luckily, they can always bid in a normal auction for the item somewhere else.

Now that you know the ten ways to kill your eBay business, how about we explore what to do if you want to do the opposite, and make a success of it? My next post will give you ten steps to successful selling on eBay.

Prospecting On eBay kind of interesting.

2006-07-06T15:35:00.000-07:00

10 Steps to Successful Selling on eBay.

So you want to be a successful seller with your own eBay business, do you? Here's a simple, ten-step path to eBay enlightenment.

Step 1: Identify your market. Take a while to sit and watch for what sells and what doesn't out of the items you're interested in. Any market research data you can collect will
be very useful to you later on. You'll probably see the 'sweet spots' quite quickly those one or two items that always seem to sell for a good price.

Step 2: Watch the competition. Before you invest any money, see what the other sellers in your category are up to, and what their strategies are. Pay special attention to any flaws their auctions might have, because this is where you can move in and beat them at their own game.

Step 3: Find a product: Get hold of a supplier for whatever it is you want to sell, and see what the best rates you can get are, don't be afraid to ring round quite a few to get the best deal. If the eBay prices you've seen are higher than the supplier's, then you're set.

Step 4: Start small: Don't throw thousands at your idea straight away, get started slowly, see what works and what doesn't, and learn as you go. Remember that it's very cheap to try out even the craziest ideas on eBay, and who knows, they might just work!

Step 5: Test and repeat. Keep trying different strategies until you find something that works, and then don't be ashamed to keep doing it, again and again. The chances are that you've just found a good niche.

Step 6: Work out a business plan: A business plan doesn't need to be anything formal, just a few pages that outline the market opportunity you've spotted, your strategy, strengths and weaknesses of the plan and a brief budget. This is more for you than it is for anyone else.

Step 7: Invest and expand: This is the time to throw money at the problem. Buy inventory, and start spending more time on your business. Set a goal number of sales each week, increasing it each time.

Step 8: Make it official: Once you've made a few thousand dollars worth of sales, you should really register yourself as a business. Don't worry, it's not expensive or hard to do, a lawyer is the best person to help you through the process.

Step 9: Automate: You'll probably find that you're writing the same things again and again in emails or item descriptions. This is the time to give up on the manual method and turn to automated software that can create listings for you, and respond to completed auctions and payments with whatever message you provide.

Step 10: Never give up: Even when it looks like it's all going wrong, don't stop trying until you succeed. If you keep working at it then you'll almost always find that you make a real breakthrough just when things are starting to look desperate.

Once you get into the swing of things, you might start thinking that you should quit your job and take up eBay selling part time. But it's not always as easy as that, there are all sorts of factors that you need to consider. The next post will weigh up the case for and against taking up eBay full-time. I want to let you know about an amazing website I just found.

Discover The Amazing New All-In-One eCommerce Solution That Will Completely Automate Your Online Business, Send Your Sales and Profit Figures Through The Roof, Maximize Your Conversion Rates And Leave Your Competitors In A Complete Daze As They Beat Their Heads Off The Wall Trying To Figure Out How You Do It?

Download the 1MerchantCart - eCommerce Automation Software

2006-07-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

10 Great Ways to Source Low Cost Products for eBay.

So you're having trouble finding stock cheaply enough to sell it for a good profit? Well, you've come to the right place.

Garage sales. The chances are you've gone most of your life seeing ads for these and ignoring them. Start going to as many as you can. You won't find good things at every one, but when you find one person with good stuff, make them an offer for the lot, they'll be so happy about it that you can get a real bargain.

Markets. If your area has a market, then go there and look around for anything good. You could buy it there if it's cheap enough, or try to make friends with the market traders and find out who their suppliers are.

Pawn shops. Pawn shops don't usually know what to do with the junk they accumulate (unless it's jewellery, of course). Generally, they put their stock out on the shelves haphazardly, hoping that someday someone with a little money will just happen to come in, search around and buy wildly obscure things. Get them to offer you a discount for bulk.

Real auctions. Go to a real auction, as the chances are that you can resell things for more than they will sell them. After all, they only have a few hundred people in that room, you have a few million to sell to!

Local newspapers. Place an ad in the local paper that reads "I pay cash for [your item type], with your phone number. If you can afford it, make it a big display ad, so it'll be noticed.

Ad boards. Get one of those little ads in the grocery store.

Friends. Ask your friends if they have anything they'd like to sell you, and ask them to spread the word to their friends.

Become known. Give out business cards, mention to people what you do. The chances are that you'll come across someone who'll say "Oh, really? I've got a load of [item] I don't want".

Shops. This might be a little surprising, but some real shops even sell things more cheaply than they sell on eBay. Take a look around your local deep discounter, and pay special attention to any shop that takes trade-ins from customers. The chances are they take a loss on trade-ins as a promotion, and are dying to get rid of that stock.

And finally: eBay! When you're looking at the completed items view, you'll notice the massive range of prices that items can sell for on eBay. Try taking the highest-priced item and searching for it on its own, then sort by lowest price first: I can almost guarantee that you'll see an auction for the same item where it sold for almost nothing. The trick is to find these flawed auctions before they close, win them using a bid sniping service, and then turn around and resell the item.

After all that trouble, though, when do sell the item you might find that a buyer leaves you a feedback rating you just don't think is fair. My next post will show you what to do about it.

Btw - Photography is a passion of mine, so I'll show y'all one of my photo's on every post...enjoy!